YouGov conducted a survey in December 2015 on behalf of the Family Mediators Association to give family mediators insight into how separating couples make decisions around dividing their assets and spending time with their children, and whether those decisions affect how they feel about their separation afterwards. The results revealed that separating couples are struggling to access the information they need to help them make informed decisions about their family and financial issues, with up to 38% of people unaware that there are more ways to resolve these issues than going to court or using a solicitor.

The poll surveyed separated and divorced adults living in the UK about the resolution methods they had used – whether they had gone to court, for example, or had tried alternatives such as family mediation or arbitration – why they had chosen that method and whether they were satisfied with the outcome.